Sources: People.com; NJ.com
Comedian Tracy Morgan, whose nearly fatal 2014 Turnpike crash landed him in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, performed his stand-up routine at the State Theater in New Brunswick for caregivers and first responders at a special show last weekend.
Morgan was traveling in a limo bus with friends when it was struck by a truck on the New Jersey Turnpike in June 2014. He spent nearly two weeks at the hospital before being transferred to a rehab facility for the remainder of his lengthy recovery.
“The only good thing that happened on that horrible night was that I was close to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital when the accident happened…These people are heroes and I love them all from the bottom of my heart…God bless them all.”
At the close of the show, he asked everyone in the audience who was part of his recovery to stand up – to applause.
The driver of the truck was indicted by a Middlesex County grand jury on multiple charges stemming from the crash, which killed Morgan’s friend, fellow comedian James “Jimmy Mack” McNair.
The driver was employed by WalMart at the time of the crash, which happened in Cranbury.
“After the sold-out show, Tracy asked for the house lights to be turned on and requested all those who helped save his life to share his standing ovation with him,” says an attendee. “It was a very emotional night.”
Following his performance, Morgan invited the hospital employees in attendance to come backstage to his dressing room for pictures and hugs.
Morgan donated all of the show’s proceeds to the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.